Chase Total Checking has no monthly fee and no minimum opening deposit

You do not need to deposit any money to open a Chase Total Checking account. There is no minimum opening deposit required. The account itself has no monthly maintenance fee, which means you can open it and leave it empty if you want to, though that is not how most people use it.

What you will need is a valid government-issued ID, a Social Security number, and an initial way to fund the account—either a debit card, bank transfer, or cash deposit at a Chase branch. The funding itself is separate from the opening cost. You can deposit $1 or $1,000; Chase does not care.

The account is free to maintain as long as you meet one of the activity requirements: receive at least one direct deposit per month, maintain a $500 minimum daily balance, or set up a monthly automatic payment from the account. If you do none of those things, Chase charges $12 per month. Most people hit one of these requirements without thinking about it.

Key Takeaways

  • There is no cost to open Chase Total Checking and no minimum deposit required at opening.
  • The account has no monthly fee if you receive direct deposits, keep $500 in the account, or set up automatic payments.
  • If you do not meet any of those conditions, the account costs $12 per month.
  • You will need a government ID, Social Security number, and a way to fund the account when you open it.
  • You can open the account online, on the Chase mobile app, or at a branch in person.

How to open the account without spending money

The fastest way to open Chase Total Checking is through the Chase website or mobile app. The process takes about 10 minutes. You enter your personal information, verify your identity, and choose how much to deposit. Chase will ask for your Social Security number and a government ID—a driver's license, passport, or state ID card. They run a soft credit check and a check through ChexSystems, which is a banking history database, but this does not affect your credit score.

If you already have a Chase account, opening Total Checking is even faster because Chase already has your information on file. You can add the account in the app in under five minutes.

Opening in person at a Chase branch takes longer but gives you the option to deposit cash when ready. You bring your ID and Social Security number, and a banker walks you through the process. This is useful if you want to fund the account with cash and do not have a debit card or bank account to transfer from.

What happens if you do not meet the fee waiver conditions

If you open the account and do not receive direct deposits, keep $500 in it, or set up automatic payments, Chase will charge you $12 at the end of the first month. The charge appears as a debit on your statement labeled "Monthly Service Fee" or similar.

You can avoid this fee at any point by meeting one of the three conditions. If you set up a direct deposit from your employer or a government benefit, the fee stops when ready—you do not have to wait for the next month. The same is true if you transfer $500 in and keep it there. Automatic payments count even if they are small; a $1 automatic payment to another account you own will waive the fee.

If you are charged the fee and want it reversed, you can call Chase customer service and ask. They often waive one or two months if you are new to the account, but this is not may provide. After that, the fee recurs every month until you meet a waiver condition.

Comparing Total Checking to other Chase accounts

Chase offers several checking accounts, and the cost differences matter if you are deciding between them. Total Checking is the most common option because it has no opening cost and the fee waiver conditions are straightforward to meet. Chase Sapphire Checking, by contrast, requires a $500 minimum opening deposit and has a $25 monthly fee unless you maintain a $15,000 balance or receive direct deposits of at least $500 per month. Chase Premier Plus Checking requires a $25,000 opening deposit and charges $25 per month unless you maintain a $25,000 balance.

For most people, Total Checking is the right choice. You pay nothing to open it, and you can waive the monthly fee with a direct deposit from almost any employer or benefit program. The other accounts are designed for people who want premium features like higher interest rates or better customer service, and they require more money upfront.

What you might spend after opening

Opening the account itself is free, but Chase charges for certain things you might do with it. Overdraft fees are $35 per transaction if you spend more than you have. Out-of-network ATM withdrawals cost $3 per transaction, though Chase reimburses ATM fees from other banks if you maintain a $500 balance or receive direct deposits. Wire transfers cost $15 for domestic transfers and $15 for international transfers. Cashier's checks cost $10 each.

None of these fees are required—they only explore if you use those services. Most checking account holders never pay them. The only fee you might be forced to pay is the $12 monthly maintenance fee if you do not meet a waiver condition, and even that can be avoided by setting up a single automatic payment.

Funding the account when you open it

You can fund Chase Total Checking with a debit card, a bank transfer, or cash at a branch. If you use a debit card, the transfer is when ready and appears in your new Chase account right away. If you use a bank transfer from another bank, it typically takes one to three business days. If you deposit cash at a branch, it is available when ready.

You do not have to fund the account at opening. You can open the account with $0 and fund it later. However, if you do not fund it and do not meet one of the fee waiver conditions, you will be charged $12 per month. Most people deposit at least something when they open the account to avoid this.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a minimum balance to keep the account open?

No. You can keep the account open with $0 in it. However, if you do not maintain a $500 balance and do not meet the other fee waiver conditions, you will be charged $12 per month. The balance requirement is only one way to avoid the fee, not a requirement to keep the account active.

Can I open the account if I have been denied by another bank?

Chase uses ChexSystems to check your banking history. If you have unpaid overdrafts, fraud, or other serious issues on your record, Chase may deny you. You can request your ChexSystems report for free at annualcheckreport.com to see what is on file. If you are denied, you can try again after addressing the issue or wait for negative items to age off your report.

What if I want to close the account after opening it?

You can close Chase Total Checking at any time by calling customer service or visiting a branch. There is no penalty for closing the account. If you have a balance, Chase will send you a check or let you transfer the money out before closing.

Does opening this account hurt my credit score?

No. Chase runs a soft credit check, which does not affect your credit score. Your credit report will not show that you opened a checking account. Only hard inquiries—which happen when you explore for a loan or credit card—affect your score.

Can I open the account if I do not have a Social Security number?

Chase requires a Social Security number or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) to open an account. If you do not have either, you cannot open Chase Total Checking. Some banks offer accounts for people without a Social Security number, but Chase does not.